sidesplitting

American  

[sahyd-split-ing] / ˈsaɪdˌsplɪt ɪŋ /

adjective

1. convulsively uproarious.

   sidesplitting laughter.

2. producing uproarious laughter; extremely funny.

   sidesplitting farce.

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Other Word Forms

• sidesplittingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of sidesplitting

First recorded in 1855–60; side ¹ + splitting

Explanation

Anything that makes you laugh out loud can be described as sidesplitting. If you are a stand-up comedian, your dream is to tell one sidesplitting joke after another. If you've ever laughed so hard that tears streamed down your face, or so uproariously that you nearly fell out of your chair, you know what sidesplitting means. This informal adjective is perfect for describing that kind of laughter. Originally spelled with a hyphen, side-splitting, and defined as "affecting with compulsive laugher," it first appeared around 1820.

Example Sentences

Before she broke out in 1988’s “Beetlejuice,” O’Hara was mainly known for her sidesplitting impressions on “SCTV,” parodying outsized icons such as Lucille Ball, Tammy Faye Bakker and Katharine Hepburn.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

Recently, Watts talked with The Times about his new special, “Never Mind,” which premiered on the music-centric upstart streaming platform Veeps to capture the soulfully sidesplitting, spontaneous magic that comes alive at his shows.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2024

"NoHo is soft," says someone writing him off as a threat in a crime that he masterminded – all part of the show's sidesplitting joke.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2022

Others are abrupt, landing with a sidesplitting hook.

From Washington Post • Dec. 13, 2019

What she said was sidesplitting enough, but her gestures, her expression and her voice were beyond description.

From The Camp Fire Girls' Larks and Pranks or, The House of the Open Door by Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude)